Coming Soon: Butter Avenue, Toronto’s newest source of macarons, cakes and coffee

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12:31 pm

From FedEx to French macarons: it may not seem like the most natural career transition, but for Calvin Su, it was a temptation he couldn’t resist. Su felt that Toronto didn’t have quite enough quality macaron options to meet demand. Sprinkle in a pastry chef for a sister, and he may just have a recipe for success.

They are hoping to open their creation, Butter Avenue, in the Yonge and Lawrence area as soon as next weekend. The café and pâtisserie will specialize in French macarons ($2.25 ea.) that come in a range of flavours, including chocolate hazelnut, green tea and salted caramel.

According to Su, they’ve sought out the finest of ingredients, sourcing chocolate from France and organic matcha powder from Japan.

His sister Tina, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa, will also be making a selection of cakes, chocolates, cookies and tarts. Unique house blends of coffee, espresso and teas will be on hand to accompany the treats.

The 20-seat cafe is adorned in whites, with some birch wood to strike a nice and clean look, says Su.

Butter Avenue, 3467 Yonge St., 647-341-8686

Leg lamps, schnitzel and nun-baked pies: our picks from this year’s Toronto Christmas Market

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10:40 am

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Bringing the charm and tradition of Europe to downtown Toronto, the Distillery District’s Toronto Christmas Market is back for a second year. Wooden stalls hawking both food and gifty items are dotted throughout the cobblestoned lanes, with a gigantic 45-foot Christmas tree — decorated with 18,000 dazzling lights — taking centre stage.

Keep your ears peeled for daily performances by choirs and carollers including the Candy Cane Carollers, the Toronto German School Choir and the Kungla Estonian Folk Dance Group – you’re bound to hear a rendition of “Stille Nacht”. Our suggestion? Do as the Europeans do: wrap yourself in your warmest fur (we suppose faux will do), drop the kids off at a workshop, and sip on some mulled wine ($6.00). Next year? We hope to see some lángos. Below are our favourite picks from the market.

Artisan grilled cheese

A gooey artisanal grilled cheese sandwich from Cheesewerks was just what we needed to stave off the evening chill. Owner Kevin Durkee’s drool-inducing version melds two Balderson cheddars — one aged two years and the other double-smoked — between slices of cracked peppercorn sourdough bread ($7). While their original sandwich is the only one on offer at the stall — Durkee jokingly calls it their version of the Big Mac — the restaurant itself officially opens later this month. We can’t wait to try the rest.

Reither’s Fine Food

We have a bit of a soft spot for Austria, and fell for everything this stall offered. Owner Peter Reither — a master butcher by trade — has been in business for 25 years. Our favourite picks include the marzipan “Kartoffeln” (a.k.a potatoes, $2.29), the cinnamon star, or “Zimtsterne,” cookies ($7.99), and, of course, Mozart Kugeln (from $4.49).

Glass ornaments

We’re crazy about the Inge-Glas ornaments at the Christmas on the Beach stall. Made by hand in Germany, these brightly coloured pieces possess a dash of tradition and a dollop of kitsch, and, placed in a bowl, would make a fantastic centrepiece for a table ($20).

Schnitzel sandwiches

Another popular pick was the German-style veal schnitzel sandwich, housed in a fluffy white bun and topped with Bavarian mustard ($5). We could barely snap a photo the line-up was so large!

Bushmen bracelets

These black and white bracelets made by the Xhoi San bushmen of Namibia instantly caught our eye. Spotted at the Angels Welcome stall, the bracelets showcase traditional patterns and are etched on recycled pipe, making for a stunning gift (from $12).

Leg lamps

Christmas movie lovers are bound to enjoy the goods offered at the Retro Festive stall. We loved the scantily clad leg lamps from A Christmas Story (from $19.99) and the creepier pieces from the Nightmare Before Christmas. Much to our dismay, no Kevin McCallister aftershave was for sale.

Sugar pies

Baked by a nun, these traditional Québécois pies found at A Taste of Quebec stall were so popular over the weekend that they completely sold out by Sunday ($25.50). When the owners tried to order some more, they were told the nun was busy praying and wouldn’t be able to bake. Since then they’ve managed to stock up, but we suggest getting yours during the week!

Chocolate-dipped bacon

This indulgent treat available at the Leonard Cake Company stall is for true bacon lovers only. A strip of double-smoked hickory bacon is dipped in milk chocolate, making for a gooey, messy, sweet and salty snack ($3).

Tin can ukulele

Made from, that’s right, tin cans, these fun and sturdy ukuleles were pioneered in the 1930s and will seemingly last a lifetime ($200). They make a great gift for someone with musical flair, but prepared yourself for the continuous onslaught of tunes.

Vanilla kipferl

These delightful little cookies originated in Austria, pairing vanilla with almonds for a melt-in-your-mouth result (4 bags for $20). Stickling’s has plenty of other baked goods to choose from – most are organic, so your Christmas gorging can be a little less wracked with guilt.

Amarula eggnog

Most people head straight for the mulled wine, but a seasonal alternative is a mix of the fruit liqueur with traditional eggnog ($6.95). When your shopping is all over and done with, grab one and head off to a fire pit to warm your toes.

Toronto Christmas Market, Distillery District, Dec. 2-18

Tony Aspler’s Wine of the Week: Cattier Brut Champagne

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9:39 am

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This is a perfect gift for your accountant who just saved you a wad of money on your tax return. Treat him or her to champagne, but the least expensive one; after all, you’re not made of money. This is a bargain-priced champagne that’s the real deal. Straw coloured with a fine beading. The wine has a nose of apples and white flowers; it’s soft and creamy on the palate with apple and peach flavours, finishing dry with lively acidity.

$39.95, Vintages #919464.

Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards. He can be heard on 680News.

The Breakfast Hub: Rogers and Bell buy MSLE, Drake likes Toronto’s logo, Rob Ford’s daily itinerary

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9:07 am

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Shortly after claiming that Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment was no longer for sale, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has announced that it plans to sell its 79.53 per cent stake after all. The buyers? Two of the country’s telecommunications giants: Rogers and Bell Canada Enterprises.
[Toronto Star]

Hometown superstar Drake failed to ask the city for permission to use a modified version of the official city logo on a billboard promoting his new album, Take Care.
[Toronto Star]

Mayor Rob Ford’s office is making it difficult to see his daily itinerary. A request for his schedule made by The Globe and Mail was supposed to be met by Dec. 2 under Freedom to Information legislation, but the deadline has been extended to Dec. 22 by the city’s privacy office.
[Globe and Mail]

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is apparently looking to get into online gambling.
[Toronto Sun]

Expect ball hockey kids from Earl Beatty Community Centre to be at City Hall today to protest potential cuts to city recreational programs.
[National Post]

Bon Iver treads into jam band territory at Toronto’s Massey Hall

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2:39 pm

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Thanks to a tweet from Sebastien Grainger of Death From Above 1979, I spent a lot of time yesterday listening to the Art Ensemble of Chicago — a major American avant-garde improvisational jazz band. And, after listening to Bon Iver in concert at Massey Hall last night, I think frontman Justin Vernon should check them out, if he hasn't already.

Wading through a sea of plaid to witness the second of Bon Iver's sold-out shows, I was expecting a lot more of Justin Vernon. What I got was a lot more of Bon Iver. And I ended up feeling very hopeful of things to come, even if the concert itself was a little safe at times and stunning at others.

Highlights, according on the crowd’s swoons, included "Flume," "Holocene" and the acoustic "Skinny Love," saved for the encore. Vernon is not one for banter, but he did thank the crowd a half-dozen times and talked about a giant, steel maple leaf his father erected on the top of his house. Apparently, says Vernon, people in the Midwest dream of being Canadian. Who knew?

The nine-piece band — complete with two drummers and a percussionist, plenty of brass and as many as four guitars on some songs — is populated by a bunch of noodlers and freestylers, including Vernon's usual crew — fellow Wisconsonites Sean Carey and Mike Noyce — along with a number of additions, like saxophonist Colin Stetson (Tom Waits, Arcade Fire) and New York City's Mike Lewis (Andrew Bird), who dropped a serious beat box during an encore Björk cover (a highlight for me, which the crowd seemed to only notice after Vernon stopped singing).

Swapping instruments, turning dials and stomping effects pedals, the obviously talented musicians seemed most comfortable and at home in the all-too-brief moments of improvisation and interplay the evening provided. Even Vernon himself seemed most comfortable when his back was partially to the crowd, or when he was on his knees fiddling with his gear.

That's not a bad thing. There have been many groundbreaking bands that have made a lengthy career out of doing just that, including the aforementioned Art Ensemble of Chicago and others in the avant garde jazz scene, but also the likes of The Grateful Dead and Phish, or even some hip hop crews. If Vernon could somehow marry his sweet and soulful songwriting and vocals with more freestyle, pulling from a number of different genres, this could be the beginning of something monumental. I'm just not sure how Vernon's adoring fans would feel about the whole thing.

They worship this guy, and it is easy to see why. He's immensely talented, has a sweeter-than-molasses voice and is a kind of sheepish, humble crooner that appeals to the ladies, mixed with that good-old-boy Green-Bay-Packers-fan thing that draws in a few fellas too, especially when he sings about smoking a joint. The big question is: are fans ready for more than just the Bon-Iver-is-Justin version of the band? This is a guy that wrote his first album hidden away in a cabin in the Wisconsin woods after a relationship came to its heart-wrenching conclusion. I'm not sure they are ready for the second coming of The Grateful Dead or another seminal jam band, but I hope that's where this train is headed.

Then again, with four Grammy Award nominations, sold-out shows and a growing legion of fans, Vernon could continue to play "Skinny Love" until the cows come home and few would complain. Personally, I think there's something more, but when you're already one of the most talked-about musicians in the world, it gets a little tough to change gears.

We'll see.

Grab of the Week: a pair of ‘80s earrings from Chanel

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10:15 am

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If there was only one thing we could get this holiday season, these ‘80s Chanel earrings from Carole Tanenbaum’s vintage collection would be it. First off, they are Chanel, so how could anyone not love them? Second, they are gold, have crystals and also a medallion drop. Third, they are simply chi-chi-chic to the highest degree. Who cares about new clothes when you could be wearing these?

Some say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but actually, we prefer hanging out with couture vintage costume jewellery. So much so that we will be heading over to TNT at Hazelton Lanes this afternoon to scope out Tanenbaum’s world-renowned collection in person. Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior… need we say more?

$1,200. Couture Vintage Costume Jewellery Trunk Show Featuring Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection, Thursday Dec. 8, 2-7pm at TNT Hazelton Lanes.

Grace Carroll is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in ELLE UK, ELLEcanada.com, Plaid magazine and FILLER magazine. Keep up with her daily blog at www.graciecarroll.com.

The Breakfast Hub: St. James Park is getting a free makeover, love locks on the Humber Bridge, Doug Ford gives away $1,000

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9:01 am

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Fixing St. James Park won’t cost the city $60,000 after all. The former site of the Occupy Toronto protests is getting a free makeover from landscaping firms and dozens of volunteers.
[Globe and Mail]

The Humber Bridge has become a location for couples to profess their eternal devotion to one another with “love locks,” which are literally padlocks etched with lovers’ intials and dates.
[Toronto Star]

In light of a prospective 10 per cent cut to student nutrition programs, Councillor Doug Ford gave $1,000 from his own pocket to a school in his Etobicoke ward.
[Toronto Star]

A $73-million dollar expansion at St. Joseph’s Health Centre means that the neonatal wing is moving to a new building with a higher capacity for beds.
[Globe and Mail]

Nik Wallenda’s pitch to the Niagara Parks Commission to cross the falls on a wire has been denied.
[Toronto Sun]

Toronto newspapers duel it out. The Grid turns the tables on the Toronto Sun after yesterday’s article about the Toronto Public Library’s subscription to Playboy.
[The Grid]

Inigo flies the coop

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2:07 pm

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After opening at the foot of Trinity Bellwoods park last winter, it didn't take long for Inigo to earn a serious reputation for its chicken. Owner-chef Carlos Hernandez took free-range, grain-fed chickens from Quebec and roasted them in a convection oven; just about everyone from The Toronto Star to Toronto Life took note.

Joanne Kates, on the other hand, cited the restaurant’s superb soups when she ranked it at number 37 on her top 100 list (it has since been replaced by Agave y Aguacate). So it was sad to read Now Magazine’s report that Inigo has closed.

According to Now, Hernandez partly attributes the closure to landlord issues. He also said he was having difficulty sourcing chicken from his preferred suppliers, so he had to make use of local chickens (the “quality was never the same”). Foot traffic was apparently also a concern.

For the time being, Hernandez tells Now that he has no plans to open another restaurant anytime soon, and we can expect him to keep a low profile until the springtime.

[Now Magazine, via Toronto Life]

This holiday season, don’t underestimate the power of an ugly sweater

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12:52 pm

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At Queen East's WAYLA Bar on Monday, five gals from Centennial College group emPoweR made sure ugly sweaters got their due. During a fundraiser that sent proceeds to Dress For Success Toronto (a charity to help women looking for work), tacky decorations, ill-fitting sleeves and itchy sweaters were buzzing about the bar.

There is no doubt that taking a sarcastic poke at Christmas with an ugly sweater is one of the best ways to get festive. Below, five ways to make sure your sweater is properly ugly this season.

1. Busy is better. Anything that glows or makes your sweater look like a Christmas tree has you miles above the rest when it comes to the ugly stakes. Sweaters that play music are good. Sweaters that play music out of the mouth of an animal — like a penguin or duck — are better.

2. It doesn't have to be Christmas-themed to be ugly. Let's not pigeonhole ourselves with Christmas-only ugly sweaters. Next time your grandma asks if she can sew a bunch of egg cartons to the front of your sweater, let her. Shag carpet sweaters showing images of golf buggies or maps of the world are a stark reminder that not all ugly sweaters need to hail from the last month of the year to be deemed ugly. When you get the "call of the ugly," harness it. Embrace it.

3. If it's dirt cheap, it's got to be ugly. Value Village and Goodwill all have one thing in common: low price tags. The $3 sweater racks are usually filled with hideous apparel — ones with zig zags, geese and the like. There is a reason for that. Nobody wants them. If they weren't ugly, they'd still be with their original owner. That's fine though. At least the price is right.

4. Sweaters that let you play. Who would ever think of designing a sweater that came armed with toys, crossword puzzles or hangman? It's probably a good idea. At least you'd have something to do while waiting for the TTC. Though you certainly can't weave your PS3 into your sweater. Or can you?

5. Should I wear it? If, after hours of ugly sweater shopping, you stop and look in the mirror and ask yourself: "can I live with myself if I wear this in public?" then look no further. That means you've found the one. Go forth and buy it.

The Breakfast Hub: robford.ca taken over by pranksters, switching to polymer bills won’t be cheap, Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown could be delayed

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9:42 am

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Robford.ca has been taken over by pranksters. The website was created in November by a rogue registrant after Rob Ford let the address lapse earlier this summer. Viewers of the website have been treated to a Rob Ford beauty contest or redirected to a Wikipedia page, among other things.
[Toronto Star]

With the switch to polymer bills, all money-handling machines in the country will have to go through upgrades, which could cost between $75-$100 million.
[Toronto Star]

The TTC has warned that the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown transit line may be delayed until 2022.
[National Post]

The Ford brothers’ wacky vision for the Port Lands may have been nixed, but it came at a cost. A city agency spent $55,000 on architectural contracts to push the plans.
[Globe and Mail]

According to the Fire Chief, if the city goes ahead with budget cuts involving the fire department, response times will increase.
[Toronto Sun]

Trending in Theatre this Week: Parfumerie, Memphis, Early Retirement, Off Broadway On Stage, Other People’s Stuff

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1:08 pm

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Parfumerie

Soulpepper remounts its 2009 smash hit about two clerks in a Budapest perfume shop who argue by day and unknowingly exchange anonymous love letters by night. If the plot sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it remade as the James Stewart classic flick, The Shop Around the Corner, which, in turn, inspired the Meg Ryan–Tom Hanks pairing in You’ve Got Mail. (But don’t judge it based on that AOL-era clunker!)
Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 55 Mill Street, 416-866-8666, Dec. 9–Dec. 31.

Memphis

In this Tony-award winning musical, a white DJ falls in love with a black dance club singer in the 1950s. Inspired by real events, the production is sure to be a thrilling night of hip-gyrating music and forbidden love.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, 416-250-3708, Dec. 6–Dec. 24.

Early Retirement

Who hasn’t thought about this one before? A young woman, who’s fed up with life and love, moves into a retirement home to get away from it all.
Unit 102 Theatre, 376 Dufferin Street, Dec. 8–Dec. 10.

Off Broadway On Stage

For those who wish they could listen to a variety of off-Broadway hits in one night, you’re in luck. This new musical revue features popular songs (some of which eventually made to Broadway) from The Fantasticks to Altar Boyz.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, 416-250-3708, Dec. 7–Dec. 11.

Other People's Stuff: The Great Canadian Comedy Rip-Off

If you’re in the mood for some holiday mirth, why not stop by this comedy benefit and help out your fellow man (or woman) via the Red Door Family Shelter? Comics Paul Bellini, Pat Thornton, Ron Sparks, Aurora Browne and more will rip off material from infamous comedians and musicians, and it’s all good because it helps the less fortunate. Copyright infringement be damned!
Comedy Bar, 945B Bloor Street West, 416-551-6540, Dec. 8 @ 8pm.

The decades-old House of Chan likely to be appropriated to make way for transit station

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11:42 am

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It’s a sad fact that construction of the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown, an upcoming underground transit line running from Black Creek Drive to Kennedy station, will require multiple properties to be torn down to make room. (The TTC likes to call this “property acquisition.”)

As public consultations begin, the specific properties that will be affected are coming to light. Among them is the venerable House of Chan, which will likely be appropriated to make way for an entrance to the Crosstown’s Bathurst Station.

Currently in the preliminary design stage, Bathurst Station could look something like the depictions in this slideshow when it’s built. Page 37 clearly shows that House of Chan, along with several other properties such as Halleluia Restaurant and Israel’s The Judaica Centre, stand in the prospective location of Bathurst Station’s secondary entrance.

Anna Pace, director of strategic partnerships at the transit expansion department of the TTC, confirmed that there will likely be three properties required for Bathurst Station, one of them being House of Chan. She added that there are few options to alter the preliminary design: “It is unlikely that the requirements for these properties would change.” The properties in question have been notified, she added.

Pace also said that there will be property required at each of the 26 stations slated for construction, so as public consultation continues for additional stations, be prepared to say goodbye to other neighbourhood fixtures. The good news is that the line will move people approximately 60 per cent faster than the current bus service.

We weren’t able to get a hold of anyone at House of Chan for comment, and the place appeared closed when we visited during normal operating hours last week. But our hopes are high that owners will find a new location. Known for its steaks, lobster and Cantonese cuisine, the place is legendary. After all, it’s a rare feat indeed for a restaurant to last over 50 years in Toronto.

Easing gridlock, it seems, doesn’t come cheap.